The Burton Albion fanzine, Clough The Magic Dragon has said that Kris Taylor will be rejoining the Conference outfit.

The Walsall midfielder, who had a successful loan spell at the Brewers last season, has given the fanzine an exclusive interview in which he says he will be rejoining them on loan. They did ask him if the deal could become permanent, but he refused to comment, saying he still has a year on his Walsall contract.

He will, of course, be cup tied for the trip to his former club at Old Trafford in the Cup replay.

Walsall fans will be hoping for a Tamworth win in their FA Cup replay, otherwise it’s another terrible draw.

When most fans were hoping for a big club in the next round, should we beat Barnsley in our replay, we got a poor draw again, facing the winners of the Stoke/Tamworth replay. Although either team would give the Saddlers a chance of appearing in the fifth round, a “big” team away would have been the preferred option for most people and Sjoke do not meet that requirement. At least a tie against Tamworth would get maximum radio and TV coverage.

Meanwhile, to make things worse, Wolves got the plum draw of Manchester United or Burton.

Full draw (games to be played the weekend of 28th and 29th January):

Stoke City/Tamworth v Barnsley/Walsall
Cheltenham Town/Chester City v Newcastle United
Coventry v Nuneaton Borough/Middlesbrough
West Brom/Reading v Torquay/Birmingham
Portsmouth v Liverpool
Leicester v Southampton
Bolton v Arsenal
Aston Villa v Port Vale
Brentford v Sunderland
Manchester City v Wigan/Leeds
Millwall/Everton v Chelsea
Preston v Crystal Palace
West Ham v Blackburn
Colchester v Derby
Charlton v Leyton Orient
Wolves v Burton/Manchester United

There are reports that Steve Staunton has been interviewed for the Irish Manager’s job and is likely to be successful.

Staunton is understood to have held talks over the weekend with officials from the Football Association of Ireland. The FAI have been buoyed by the success of the talks, but they remain at a delicate stage and have yet to be concluded.

The FAI are also looking for a guiding mentor, with former England manager Sir Bobby Robson believed to be in the frame due to Staunton’s lack of managerial experience.

Robson has been out of work since being sacked as Newcastle boss in August 2004.

Should the duo be officially confirmed, their first game will be a Lansdowne Road friendly against Sweden on Wednesday March 1.

Staunton is Ireland’s most capped player, making 102 appearances including 16 as captain. He played in two World Cup finals, with his last game the second-round penalty shoot-out to Spain in South Korea three-and-a-half years ago.
His potential appointment will bring an end to a near three-month search for the FAI in the wake of Kerr’s dismissal following his failure to guide the Republic to this summer’s World Cup finals in Germany.

Saddlers boss Paul Merson said late last year he would not stand in Staunton’s way if the international post was available.

“He is respected in Ireland, and I think the fans would want it,” said Merson. “I’d back him. Everybody who plays football would love to manage their country one day, so if it came along, then of course I’d let him go. No worries about that.”

Staunton took the side of former Republic boss Mick McCarthy in the dispute with Roy Keane on the Pacific island of Saipan, which resulted in the then Manchester United player walking out on the Ireland squad just before the 2002 World Cup finals. However, Keane has since retired from the international game, so there would be no potential personality clash.

Staunton joined Liverpool in September 1986 from Irish side Dundalk. He enjoyed two spells at Aston Villa, between 1991 and 1998 and 2000 and 2003, and returned to Anfield between July 1998 and December 2000.

The explanation from the club for the “will he won’t he” saga of Julain Bennett’s transfer to Forest was released to the Press today.

Bennett had been withdrawn from the squad for Saturday’s game on the assumption that he would be leaving today for Forest, but then turned up in the side amidst rumours that the deal was off.

A “club spokesman” says that the hold up was because of a disagreement between the parties as to the details of the down payment on the player and that negotiations are continuing and are expected to reach a successful conclusion.

It would appear from this that the Bennett deal, like the Fryatt deal, is for an intial low amount, with add ons.

The club at the same time confirmed the Fryatt position to the Express and Star. The situation is as we were carrying the story this morning.

Youngster Jonny Harkness has left the club.

Of the players who were told that they were not required last week, the name of Jonny Harkness was perhaps the most surprising. The Northern Irish left back and centre back had only made two appearances for the first team and had certainly not let the side down on the one occasion he played in defence, following last season’s fracas with David Perpetuini.

The Official Site has now announced, however, that his contract (due to expire in May this year) has been terminated “by mutual consent”.

Leicester manager Craig Levein yesterday confirmed that they are interested in signing Matt Fryatt.

Levein, speaking after his team’s win in the Cup against Spurs, said that Leicester’s troubles this season were down to not having a consistent goalscorer.

He did, however, dismiss reports that the club have signed and sealed a deal for Fryatt.

“He’s one of the players we’re interested in, but a deal’s not yet been done,” added Levein.